If you’ve ever had a task stall in the middle of your workflow—waiting on a dependency, approval, or some mystery blocker—flags in Jira are your new best friend.
In this post, I’ll break down what flags are, why they matter, and my recommended way to use them to highlight blocked work without moving it out of its current workflow status.
What Are Flags?
A flag in Jira is a simple way to mark an issue as blocked. When an issue is flagged, it usually turns yellow, making it visually stand out on your board.
You can think of flags as Jira’s way of saying: “🚧 Something’s in the way here.”
This is especially helpful on agile boards where it’s easy to assume that everything in “In Progress” is actively moving forward—when in reality, some of those issues are stuck.
How to Flag an Issue
To flag an issue in Jira:
- Open the issue you want to flag.
- Click on the “More” menu (•••) in the top right corner.
- Select Add Flag.
- Add a comment to explain what’s blocking it, and tag someone in to help you.
That’s it! You’ll now see a yellow highlight on the card in your Jira board.
To remove the flag, repeat the same steps and select Remove Flag.
When Should You Use Flags?
This is where I have a strong opinion:
Use flags anytime an issue is blocked, regardless of its current status.
Too often, teams get tempted to move blocked items into a “Blocked” column or status. But that can make your workflow messy and harder to track. Instead:
✅ Leave the issue where it is (e.g., “In Progress”) 🔴 Add a flag to show it’s blocked 💬 Add a comment explaining what it’s waiting on
This way, you preserve the integrity of your workflow and surface issues that need attention.
Why Flags Are Better Than a “Blocked” Status
- Less board clutter: You don’t need a separate column just for blocked items.
- Preserves workflow accuracy: The issue stays in the stage it’s actually in—just paused.
- Increases visibility: Flags make issues pop visually without changing their logical status.
- Better for reporting: You don’t skew your workflow metrics by bouncing issues into a “Blocked” state.
Final Thoughts
Flags are a lightweight but powerful way to call attention to blocked work in Jira. Instead of creating extra workflow steps or statuses, use flags to keep your board clean and informative.
So next time something’s stuck? Don’t move it. Just flag it.
Want help cleaning up your Jira board or setting up an effective workflow? Let’s chat at JiraCoach.com!
Additional reading:
> Learn more about Kanban boards in What is a Kanban board and when should I use it?
> Learn how to design and create a Jira workflow in How do I design and create a Jira workflow
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